Closing the Gap: A Community-Based Framework for Identifying, Re-Enrolling and Retaining Out-of-School Children in Osun State

Out-of-school children remain an important education challenge in Osun State. UNICEF/MICS data indicates that approximately 13% of primary-school-age children in the State are out of school. While Osun already has education institutions, schools, Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs), community structures and education data systems, children can still fall through the gaps between identification, intervention and sustained participation.

I propose the Osun State Community-Based Out-of-School Children Identification, Re-Entry and Retention Framework, a coordinated system designed to strengthen the State’s existing response rather than create another agency or database.

The framework would establish a clear pathway:

Identification → Barrier Assessment → Referral → Re-enrolment → Follow-Up → Retention

First, schools, LGEAs, education inspectors, School-Based Management Committees, communities and qualified civil-society organisations would help identify children who are outside the education system. Each identified child would then undergo a simple assessment to understand the main barrier preventing participation, such as poverty, child labour, distance or access difficulties, disability or inclusion needs, household responsibilities or other documented circumstances.

The child would then be referred to the most appropriate existing education, social or community support. Where appropriate, this could include formal schooling, non-formal education, remedial learning or other approved educational pathways.

Importantly, re-enrolment would not be treated as the end of the process. Follow-up would take place at three, six and twelve months to determine whether the child remains in education and whether additional support is needed. The reasons for unsuccessful re-entry or retention would also be documented and used to improve future interventions.

The framework would initially be piloted in selected LGEAs representing different contexts, evaluated using measurable indicators and then refined before possible expansion across the State.

The goal is simple: identify the child, understand the barrier, connect the child to support and make sure the child stays in education.

This approach would help Osun State move beyond simply counting enrolment and towards measuring sustained educational participation, while making better use of the institutions, data systems and community structures that already exist.